Thursday, April 15, 2010

God's Lesson on Impatience and Irritation

Yesterday, one of my British friends wrote the following on her Facebook page: "In connection with the dust cloud that has closed UK airports, I have been arrested as police discovered I cleaned my house last week." I can relate to that, considering how poorly adept I am at housework!

I can also relate to the long lines that are going to face all of us who will at one point soon need to travel to Europe and through Europe. I seem to have gotten out of the trip to Jordan next week, but I will be going there in May and others from my office will, for certain, be traveling there this weekend...well, for certain, if the airports in Germany and Amsterdam are open again. One hears that the volcano eruption may continue for weeks, disturbing air traffic for even longer.

So, in anticipation of some jammed planes and resultant long lines, I will try to remember the lesson I was taught recently about impatience and irritation, two emotions that generally accompany long lines, especially in connection with disrupted plane traffic. It came as a result of having to disembark from a plane that had just loaded due to a mechanical problem. The plane was destined for Phoenix, and from there I was to catch another plane to Baltimore-Washington International Airport. Everyone had to be rescheduled, and most of us were making connections that we would miss, so the line was long and slow, a couple of hours (!) slow.

A Vietnamese couple in line several people behind me kept pushing, trying to get ahead of those in front of them. “How not American,” I thought, determined to make them take their turn in good American style and sense of rightness.

There were three of them, actually, the elderly couple and a young woman, whom I assumed to be their granddaughter. They chatted away in an Asian language that I did not recognize but later learned was Vietnamese.

As they pushed forward, the elderly man actually elbowed me aside, trying to slide around me as the line began to inch around the twists and turns leading to the ticket counter. I had watched him use this maneuver to leapfrog successfully in front of about a dozen people, one at a time. Now I separated him from his wife and the young woman, and, having stood in line for close to 90 minutes already, knowing that each passing minute lowered the chances of finding a flight from Phoenix to the East Coast, I was decidedly impatient with the process and irritated with someone who felt he deserved to go first. (Of course, I did realize that this was simply his culture; he probably had no idea how Americans, who are raised to take turns, are annoyed by what was a normal jockeying for position in his own land.) Still, having spent time in countries where one must jockey for position or never make it to the counter, I was determined to hold my own place and did, continuing to separate him from the two who were with him.

Feeling uncomfortable about the whole situation, I did what extroverts always do. I struck up a conversation. The elderly couple did not speak English. However, Twi, the young woman, who, it turns out was not their granddaughter but just another line-stander, did, albeit almost unintelligibly. She spoke to the couple in Vietnamese and me in bad English and slowly a picture of each other emerged.

The elderly couple stopped pushing. The four of us were now a group and could proceed through the line together until we were separated into two groups at the ticket counter. The elderly couple took the first open ticket agent. Twi, who had asked me to interpret for her, and I took the second. It is not the first time that someone whose language I do not speak has asked me to interpret. You see, if you work with foreigners a lot, you learn how to speak broken English in a way that they can understand when they cannot understand grammatically correct and well enunciated English, and you learn how to understand what they are trying to say when they know only 1-2 words out of the dozen that they need. So, I interpreted for Twi and got her all set up for her new flight. Since she would have a 6-hour wait, she called her husband to meet for lunch. He would meet her at the baggage claim, where all our bags had been sent.

As for me, I had to go pick up my bag, as well, because my new flight was leaving from another terminal. San Jose Airport is easy to navigate, but Twi was new both to the airport and to the English language, so I offered to walk her over to the baggage claim area and get her on the right curb to meet her husband. After that, I could catch the bus to the other terminal.

As we left the ticket counter, I saw the elderly couple standing by, looking confused. They had just received their new tickets but clearly had not understood anything about what their next step should be. I looked at their tickets; they were on my flight. Twi explained to them that they would have to get their luggage and take a bus to the other terminal. They panicked until they understood that I was on their flight and would accompany them the whole way.

Having crossed the overpass, obtained our luggage, and dropped Twi at the right curb, the couple and I were ready to clamber on the shuttle bus. I stepped up first and threw my bag onto the shelving. Then, I noticed the elderly, stereotypically small, Asian man struggling to lift his bag. Equally small but a farm-raised girl with eight years of military duty under her belt, today I can lift and swing heavy suitcases much the same way as I used to life and swing bales of hay. I hopped back out and grabbed the two suitcases and swung them onto the rack.

We stayed together, minimally communicating, given the lack of a common language, until flight time. They got off first in Phoenix and were muddling through an interpretation of the airport signs when I disembarked, being rewarded with a second chance to help them.

I am sure that day I received a heaven-sent lesson: be kind, be helpful; irritation & impatience are not traits to be developed. I was given a chance to become acquainted with two people whom otherwise would have been only faces in a crowd. How interesting that once we know someone, our attitude dramatically changes for the better. As for them, they were very grateful. “Thank you” was the one American expression they did know, and they used it over and over with me. In spite of the aggravation of disrupted travel, I arrived cheerful, thanks to two people I did not know and whose language I did not speak.

Next time, when faced with long lines at the airport, as is sure to happen in the upcoming weeks, I will try to remember this lesson. I have often been the recipient of the kindness of strangers when I travel. I like it when the shoe is on the other foot, when I can be the stranger who shows kindness. At the end of the day, we are all God's children; we should work together and play together in ways that evidence that we know this to be true.

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I am back to blogging -- not that life is any less complex, but hopefully, a few minutes will continue to appear here and there to keep going. I turned off all posts in February because I was unable to respond to any; they will reappear, but I don't know how to keep their original dates, so now they are popping up as new! No promises on any regular, weekly features. I have to do those at work! I have, however, have missed the Internet dialogue. Note: 100th Lamb replaces the Blest Atheist blog, which was hijacked in 2009; the posts were transferred here. Click here for an explanation.

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About Me

I am the mother of 4 birth children (plus 3 others who lived with us) and grandmother of 2, all of them exceptional children. Married for 42 years, I grew up in Maine, live in California, and work in many places in education, linguistics, and program management. In my spare time, I rescue and tame feral cats and have the scars to prove it. A long-time ignorantly blissful atheist converted by a theophanic experience to Catholicism,
I am now a joyful catechist. Oh, I also authored a dozen books, two under my pen name of Mahlou (Blest Atheist and A Believer-in-Waiting's First Encounters with God).

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Alleluiabelle at Humble As I Go needs prayers for her grandson (and also for her husband, who recently has encountered serious health problems). Details available on her blog.

Prayers Needed

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Ashlyn

Ashlyn has two strikes against her: Down's Syndrome and cancer. Prayers needed on both fronts.

Ben

Ben is a child with cancer (neuroblastoma). He is now technically cancer-free but is still underdoing chemo therapy and needs prayers for its effectiveness.

Bennett

A 5-month-old infant with an extra chromosome, Bennett has undergone open heart surgery successfully, and most recently, survived swine flu.

Chrissie

An American child recently adopted from Serbia, Chrissie is fighting for her life after heart surgery that did not go well.

Hope

Hope is a Down's Syndrome child who suffers from a heart defect that has been resistant to surgical repair.

Isaac

Premature Isaac has a very rare chromosal disorder that has required a trach, g-tube, and oxygen dependency.

Jaxson

Jaxson turned four recently! Check out the celebration at his website. He is a Down's Syndrome child with a tracheotomy.

Jonah

Jonah is an infant with junctional EB; he is making slow gains but experiencing many difficulties. Hope on over to his mother's blog to see some smile-provoking swimming pictures.

Kyleigh (and her mom, Amber)A mother and daughter are both battling devastating results from birth defects. I will be posting on them later, with an explanation of ways of how to help them. Amber has recently been discovered to have Chiari I malformation, and Kyleigh is a miraculous toddler, not expected to live, given VACTERLS Association. Amber's website is here and Ky's story is here. They need your help and your prayers.

Lillian

Lillian, who was born with trisomy, was trached, then decanulated (tracheotomy removed) but the stoma reopened; surgery tomorrow (7/8/10) to close the stoma - prayers, please; other concerns are what to do about school -- divine guidance needed for that, too.

Philip

Philip, recently baptized, has no swallowing reflexes; he was on oxygen and a feeding tube in November 2009. He is now getting stronger; see after-surgery post.

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Leukemia Thwarted!

Dylan was born with leukemia. After six months in the hospital and on many prayer lists, Dylan is going home healthy. There are still babies with leukemia, however, who need your prayers!

Adoption Money AppearedSuccess! Melanie Hollis of Franklin, Tennessee was trying to raise $20K by Thanksgiving in order to adopt a Down's Syndrome child from Eastern Europe that she feels God is calling her to do. The goal was reached! For more information, see Melanie's website: the 30-day journey for Hope. (Hope is her Down's child with a heart defect - see prayer requests above.)

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Visa Granted; Cure Possible

Katya (her real name is Tanya, but since I used a pseudonym in Blest Atheist, I will stay with it here) is a dying blind orphan in Russian whose only wish is to see her two brothers, adopted by an American family 12 years ago, before she dies -- but American doctors believe that they can treat her, that she does not need to die. On October 20, 2009 after literally years of trying for this, she got an American visa! Subhanallah! More prayers are needed now because she is too ill to travel. It does not seem possible that God would bring us this far and not all the way. Please keep Katya (Tanya) in your prayers.read about Tanya

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When Scott & White insurance company refused to pay for Lisa's cancer care, bloggers jumped in with prayers. Shortly thereafter, the State of Texas agreed to cover her medical expenses for the time being.Check Lisa's site, Glad Chatter: Ordinary Girl, Extraordinary God, for updates (and please keep praying - the cancer needs to be put into permanent remission).

Hallelujah! Many thanks to all of you for your prayers for these people. Please see my prayer list above. There are many more folks who need God's mercy and intervention.

Ways to Help Others

Afghans for AfghansA humanitarian and educational people-to-people project, this organization sends hand-knit and crocheted blankets and sweaters, vests, hats, mittens, and socks to the beleaguered people of Afghanistan. You can help by knitting and crocheting or by spreading the word.

Amazima MinistriesAmazing Ministries serves orphans in Uganda, East Africa, striving to keep the children in Uganda alive, give them life to the fullest, and educate the poorest of the poor intellectually and spiritually.

Animal Rescue SiteThe Animal Rescue Site is having trouble getting enough people to click on it daily so they can meet their quota of getting free food donated every day to abused and neglected animals. It takes about 15 seconds to go to their site and click on the purple box 'fund food for animals for free'. This doesn't cost you a thing.

Casa do Zezinho (Little Joe's House)Located in Death Triangle, the most dangerous part of Sao Paulo, Brazil, is an oasis for children, run by a lady named Dagmar, who once told me that she did not want to be called an angel because one had to die for that role. Nonetheless, she does an angel's work every day. (See post on Casa de Zezinho.)

Feel Good Yarn for Warming FamiliesWarming Families is a social network that knits warm clothing for the homeless. Through December 2009, Land's End will donate a skein of yard to Warming Families for each hat purchased.

For Your TearsThis is a blogsite providing emotional support (and a special handkerchief) for mothers who have lost a child. If you have lost one or know one who does, click over there.

Gulf BirdsThe Hunger Site's Animal Rescue page has teamed with Greater Good.org to save the fish and birds endangered by the oil slick in the Gulf of Mexico. Click here if you would like more information about how you can help.

Kids for a Better FutureIn 2006, 9-year-old Akash Mehta recruited some of his young friends and founded an organization to improve life in Afghanistan: he has raised money to assist hospitals, schools, women, and, recently, Congolese child soldiers.

Habitat for HumanityHabitat for Humanity seeks to eliminate poverty housing and homeless from the world and to make decent shelter a matter of conscience and action.

Orphan Cry (Liberia) Building on its success in Russia (see below), Orphan Cry has opened Christ Our Hope Orphanage in Monrovia, Liberia, a country with 85% unemployment and an average life expectancy of 42.5 years. Clothing, books, and water are priorities for OC in Liberia.

Orphan Cry (Russia)The fall of communism has created a parallel phenomenon: the fall of the child. An American church group has spearheaded an attempt to help children throughout Russia. The group has helped many orphans by improving the living conditions in the orphanages of Russia and creating opportunities for a better life for children as they mature into adulthood and leave the orphanages.

Pakistan16 million Pakistanis are desperate for help, and one young college student, Wajeeha, and her classmates have taken a journey to help them. Read about their plans (now fulfilled) here: Come Along on a Journey to Help Pakistan One Family at a Time. Thank you to the readers of 100th Lamb who contributed to this effort. More help is needed in Pakistan. In addition to Wajeeha's project, two helping organizations through whom you can contribute are Catholic Relief (for people needs) and World Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (for creature needs).

Pet FinderInternational rescue and adoption agency for pets. Adopt a pet, provide a foster home, help with rescue.

Por Amor a Los Ninos de Colombia (For Love of the Children of Colombia)This is Father Julio's site for helping the impoverished children of rural Colombia. Lack of money and schooling impel the children to join guerrilla groups, commit petty crimes, or become addicted to drugs. The Por Amor foundation has set about to build a centrally located school (nearly done) and a self-sustaining farm for this at-risk population.

Priests in CrisisThis site presents situations in which priests need help of various sorts. Rather than try to explain all the differing circumstances, I encourage you to go to the site and see for yourself. Perhaps there is a way that you can help someone who gives much to our Catholic community.

Prison MinistryDonate Catholic books to prison inmates. What a great use for a book we have finished reading!

Ronald McDonald HouseThe Ronald McDonald House is a home away from home for parents who need to move to a large city on a temporary basis while an ill child is receiving care from experts not available at home. Having a place to stay can be very reassuring, as well as making care financially feasible for parents coping with major medical issues.

Starfish Foster Home (China)Starfish Foster Home (SCS) to rescue Chinese orphans in need of medical care by working in collaboration with local orphanges. After nursing them back to health through solid nutrition and a loving environment, Starfish Children's Services organizes and pays for the children’s surgeries before providing post-operative care. After the surgeries, the goal shifts to getting these children in the adoption pipeline so that they can join a stable, loving family. To do this, they need help from people like you and me: money, medicine. Please contact them if you can help.

The Hunger SiteThe Hunger Site provides a specific amount of food (varies by day depending upon the number of advertisers) to those who are hungry around the world as a result of visitation to the site. (You must click to enter your visit; there are items that can be purchased but no purchase is necessary -- just a click -- to donate food.) Linked sites where you can donate in the same way, just by visiting and clicking, include the Animal Rescue, Breast Cancer, Child Health, Literacy, and Rain Forest sites. It is worth the small investment of time to do this daily. (If you do purchase something, there is a greater amount of donations made.)

Transitions Global empowers survivors of sex trafficking in Cambodia, Thailand, India and elsewhere with the opportunity to heal and recapture the most basic of human rights: freedom and hope. The various branches of this organization provide a safe environment where the girls can heal through intensive trauma therapy and life skills training, as well as learn job skills, enabling them to become healthy, independent adults. (The image comes from the movie, Trade, which chronicles a sex slave experience.)

Uganda Orphan FundThis organization helps orphans with HIV through the sale of jewelry. (In 2007, the number of orphans in Uganda was estimated at 2 million, about half of whom suffer from AIDS/HIV.)

Village EarthThis consortium empowers communities to sustainably access and manage the resources needed to achieve their vision for the future by working directly with communities as allies, distributing appropriate technology information, as well as providing training, consultation and networking services to individuals, communities and organizations around the globe. Financial help is needed for projects in Cambodia, India, Guatemala, Peru, and South Dakota. Volunteers are also being sought.

World Society for Prevention of Cruelty to AnimalsNicknamed "the cat woman of Amman" due to the many feral cats I rescued while living there, I would remind readers not to forget our animal friends. The WSPCA does outstanding work. A little money goes a long way; so does volunteerism.

WWF InternationalFormerly called the World Wildlife Fund, today this organization is better known by its initials, especially because it has gone beyond just saving animals of this planet to saving the planet itself, looking at the environment which must be preserved if animals -- and people -- are to have a livable home.

Dove of Peace

The Dove of Peace flies from site to site and through as many countries as possible. Please help it continue its healing journey and pass it on. Just right-click the image, save, and then place it on your website or send it to a friend.

Award-Free Blog

Periodically, someone gives me a blog award, which I do sincerely appreciate. I have, however, decided not to post them on this blog site although I am happy to express my appreciation on the blog award giver's site. My blogs are for glorifying God. To accept awards would place me at the center of attention, where God belongs, not I. I hope readers/bloggers will understand.